The sea is far and wide.
Who knows the other side?
How far is it away?
A thousand miles, you say.
Look at the sun, O please!
Your sail should trust the breeze.
Turtles bear the dark sky;
Giant fish raise waves high.
When you are in your isle,
There're trees from mile to mile.
Though we're separated for long,
Would you send me your song?
Original Poem
「送秘书晁监还日本国」
王维
积水不可极，安知沧海东。
九州何处远，万里若乘空。
向国唯看日，归帆但信风。
鳌身映天黑，鱼眼射波红。
乡树扶桑外，主人孤岛中。
别离方异域，音信若为通。
Interpretation
Composed during the High Tang period when frequent diplomatic exchanges occurred between Tang China and Japan, this poem bids farewell to the Japanese scholar Abe no Nakamaro (Chinese name Chao Heng), who studied in Chang'an during the Taika era. Unlike conventional parting poems dwelling on sorrow, this work emphasizes an imagined perilous journey across vast seas, constructing a breathtaking exotic tableau that embodies the profound cultural bond between the two nations.
First Couplet: "积水不可极，安知沧海东。"
Jī shuǐ bù kě jí, ān zhī cāng hǎi dōng.
Boundless waters stretch beyond sight—Who knows what lies east of the azure tides?
Commencing with oceanic immensity rather than personal emotion, the opening astonishes with its cosmic perspective. The rhetorical question about "what lies east" projects both wonder and anxiety toward the unknown destination.
Second Couplet: "九州何处远，万里若乘空。"
Jiǔzhōu hé chù yuǎn, wànlǐ ruò chéng kōng.
Within Nine Provinces, what land lies farther? Ten thousand miles as if riding void.
The hyperbolic comparison ("riding void") transforms geographical distance into metaphysical expanse, elevating physical separation into spiritual contemplation.
Third Couplet: "向国唯看日，归帆但信风。"
Xiàng guó wéi kàn rì, guī fān dàn xìn fēng.
Homeward by sun's bearing alone; Returning sails trust winds unknown.
The brilliant pun on "sun" (日) and "Japan" (日本) layers meaning, while "trust winds" conveys vulnerability—the traveler completely at nature's mercy.
Fourth Couplet: "鳌身映天黑，鱼眼射波红。"
Áo shēn yìng tiān hēi, yú yǎn shè bō hóng.
Leviathan's bulk eclipses sky; Fish-eyes shoot red through waves on high.
Mythic imagery erupts—colossal sea creatures creating apocalyptic hues (black eclipsing light, red piercing darkness)—visualizing journey's dangers through surreal marine terrors.
Fifth Couplet: "乡树扶桑外，主人孤岛中。"
Xiāng shù fúsāng wài, zhǔrén gū dǎo zhōng.
Hometown trees beyond Fusang's shore; You, master, on that isle forlorn.
"Fusang" (mythical eastern land) merges with actual Japan, emphasizing the friend's isolation in distant insularity.
Sixth Couplet: "别离方异域，音信若为通。"
Biélí fāng yìyù, yīnxìn ruò wéi tōng.
Parting now spans alien spheres—How shall word ever reach your ears?
The crushing finale acknowledges permanent disconnection—not just physical separation but the impossibility of future communication across unmapped waters.
Holistic Appreciation
The poem masterfully interweaves tangible and imagined realms. Beginning with oceanic infinity, it progresses through fantastical seascapes before grounding in human separation. The terrifying "leviathan" interlude—both visually stunning and symbolically rich—prepares for the stark reality of permanent estrangement. Wang Wei's genius lies in using cosmic scale to amplify intimate emotions, making their parting resonate like continents drifting apart.
Artistic Features
- Unconventional Structure, Groundbreaking Opening
Unlike typical farewell poems that begin with concrete parting scenes, Wang Wei's work immediately gazes upon the vast ocean with the line "Boundless waters stretch beyond sight," evoking the unknown world beyond the eastern seas. This spatial approach—initiating from expansive scenery rather than human events—breaks the conventional structure of farewell poetry, establishing a fresh method of evoking emotion through landscape that elevates the poem's grandeur. - Blending Reality and Fantasy with Profound Symbolism
The fantastical imagery of "Leviathan's bulk eclipses sky; Fish-eyes shoot red through waves on high" symbolizes the journey's unpredictability and peril. This fusion of the imaginary and the real not only showcases Wang Wei's extraordinary imagination but also his ability to transform abstract emotions into mythical visions. Without directly depicting storms or shipwrecks, the poet uses "leviathan" and "giant fish" to imply danger, converting threats into surreal visual spectacles that allow readers to sense underlying anxiety through dazzling, eerie imagery. - Masterful Use of Color to Create an Exotic Atmosphere
The interplay of black, red, blue, and emerald in "leviathan" and "fish-eyes" produces striking visual contrasts. Here, color transcends mere description, becoming a vital medium for emotional expression. These hues amplify not only the ocean's majesty and mystery but also the poet's inner turmoil. Wang Wei employs color not as decoration but as an extension of emotion, achieving a perfect synthesis of poetry and painting. - Concise Language and Balanced Parallelism
The poem abounds in parallel couplets, such as "Boundless waters stretch beyond sight—Who knows what lies east of the azure tides?" and "Homeward by sun's bearing alone; Returning sails trust winds unknown." These lines exhibit rigorous symmetry, both rhythmically and semantically. Each couplet stands independently while contributing to the poem's progressive depth. Wang Wei's economical yet profound language creates boundless spatial and emotional resonance within tight constraints. - Subtle Emotion and Ethereal Transcendence
Though the poem never explicitly voices sorrow, the vast seascape, treacherous voyage, and isolated homeland collectively convey the poet's melancholy. The closing line, "How shall word ever reach your ears?" crystallizes the poem's emotional climax, embedding unspoken longing within its expansive, ethereal realm. Wang Wei conveys profound sentiment through understated brushstrokes, demonstrating supreme aesthetic restraint and spiritual elevation.
Insights
This 8th-century poem speaks profoundly to our globalized era about the paradox of connection—how technological advancement hasn't eliminated the existential loneliness of crossing cultures. Wang Wei articulates what every expatriate feels: that some journeys create irreversible transformations, and some partings are cosmic events. The leviathan imagery reminds us that all meaningful crossings—geographic or cultural—require confronting profound unknowns, while the final unanswered question about correspondence resonates with anyone who's maintained relationships across borders. Ultimately, the poem suggests that the deepest cultural exchanges occur precisely when we acknowledge the vastness between us, not despite it.
Poem translator
Xu Yuanchong (许渊冲)
About the poet
Wang Wei (王维), 701 - 761 A.D., was a native of Yuncheng, Shanxi Province. Wang Wei was a poet of landscape and idylls. His poems of landscape and idylls, with far-reaching images and mysterious meanings, were widely loved by readers in later generations, but Wang Wei never really became a man of landscape and idylls.
